According to the Myth
by iwishforapinkpony
Summary: Seto is outraged when his father chooses to put Atem on the throne over him. A mysterious presence approaches him, and offers him a simple solution: kill Atem. In exchange, the darkness will ensure Seto gains the crown. But all magic comes at a price, which will come back to haunt Seto's reincarnation, Loosely based on the myth of Set and Osiris.


_**In ancient times, before the pyramids were yet built, the great god Osiris, He Who is Permanently Benign and Youthful, ruled over all of Egypt, inheriting the line of the very first gods. All were happy and prosperous under his reign...except one. Set, god of chaos, was displeased with the king, having been insulted by Osiris long ago. In a fit of rage, Set slew Osiris, and further desecrated the dead king by slicing his body to pieces and scattering them across Egypt, leaving the kingship empty and allowing Set to take the throne...**_

* * *

_'Of all the insults for a prince to suffer...'_ Seto mused ruefully, _'surely the most grievous is to be passed over for the crown...in favor of one's younger brother.'_

Not two days ago, his father had called together a grand meeting. Every vizier and priest was gathered in the central throne room. His two young sons had the privilege of standing on either side of their father. Everyone was murmuring amongst themselves. What could the Pharaoh need to say that would involve all of his court? Seto remembered feeling a swell of pride, being allowed to stand so close to his father. He had drawn himself to his full height when his father entered the hall, eager to meet his father's high expectations. With his great baritone voice resounding throughout the hall, Pharaoh Akhnamkhanon announced to the crowd that he had chosen which of his sons would inherit his throne upon his passing. Instantly, Seto's shoulders slackened and his heart plummeted into his stomach. As the oldest, did the throne not immediately go to him?

Instead, it was his brother's name his father had called across the hall. His brother for whom the priests had clapped and the viziers had cheered. His brother whom his father had clasped on the shoulder, smiling down at him with pride, ignoring Seto entirely. His brother who would be groomed to be king, leaving Seto behind in the dust.

_Atem._

The name now left a foul taste in his mouth.

What qualities could Atem possibly possess that made him better qualified to be king? Seto's jaw clenched at the thought. All the boy did was play around with that young magician and the little girl he called an apprentice. Rarely if ever did he attend to the lessons they were given in ruling. His nails bit into the palms of his tightly clenched fists and his whole body shook with rage.

_'I have always done exactly as Father asks. I have always excelled in my studies. I know every war tactic and how to use them. I can name my who lineage, all the way back to Ra. I am the one who truly understands the power the throne holds! And what does Atem do? Waste his days playing games in the gardens, eating himself sick on dates. And yet Father would put him on the throne over me.'_

As the thoughts formed in his mind, loud peals of laughter trickled into his window from the garden. Looking down, he saw his brother rolling in the grass, crowing victoriously after having beaten Mahad at senet yet again. The goofy smile stretching across his face only made Seto angrier. Bitter jealousy boiled beneath the surface of his skin. In a bout of flashing anger, Seto snatched up a nearby clay vase and hurled it at the opposing wall, relishing the loud crash of broken pottery.

_**'Temper, Prince, temper.'**_

Seto whirled around, searching for the origin of the dark voice that had just whispered in his ear.

"Who is there?" he called, scanning the room carefully with narrowed eyes.

_**'Who I am is of little importance to you...'**_ the voice drawled, again sounding as though it was behind Seto, sending him whirling around again.

_**'I have seen your anger, young prince. Your jealousy. I can smell the hatred you hold. You seek to regain what is rightfully yours, as you should. It is in that regard, my young lord, that I come to you to offer you help.'**_

"Why should I trust you?" the prince challenged, icy eyes narrowing further, "You will not even show your face."

_**'Ah yes,'**_the voice said with mock thoughtfulness,_** 'Naturally, you are suspicious. I understand, of course. You have been for some time now, have you not? Never trusting anyone anymore. Oh no, you were betrayed far too cruelly for that. What was that woman's name?...Kisara? No matter. She is dead now. Executed by your father's orders, I recall. Poor thing, she was just too dangerous to live.'**_

"Silence!" Seto roared. The mysterious speaker had hit a nerve, "You understand nothing!"

_**'TAKE CARE THE TONE YOU USE WITH ME, MORTAL,' **_the voice thundered, rattling the fragments of the shattered vase, **_'I may yet change my mind about helping you.'_**

Seto stood still a few moments, seething in anger and debating what course of action to take, whether or not to trust this ominous presence.

**_'Well, prince? Will you sit idly by while your younger brother steals what is meant to be yours?'_**

His rage spiked, rushing through him like a white-hot fire.

"Very well," he snapped, eyes flashing, "What do you suppose I should do?"

_**'I suggest the simplest path,'**_ the voice crooned, **_'Simply remove your brother from the picture. Without their beloved little prince, there will be no other option but to give the crown to you, its true owner. And if you play your pieces right, you may even gain more support for you kingship by acting the part of remorseful brother.'_**

"They will not give it to me if they know I was the one to kill him," Seto scoffed.

_**'Of course not, of course not,'**_the voice chuckled,_** 'This is where I offer my services, Prince. Bring your brother to the abandoned village of Kul Elna, hidden deep amidst the desert sands where the sun sets. On the far end of the village, you will find a temple hidden beneath the sand. Inside, there will be a stone tablet embedded into the floor. This is tablet is the root of my power in this world. If you kill your brother atop the tablet, I will see to it that you inherit your throne.'**_

"How do I know you will keep your word?" Seto asked slowly, seriously considering the mysterious presence's proposal.

_**'I am many things, Prince, but a liar is not one of them. Bring Atem to Kul Elna, kill him, and I will uphold my end of the bargain. I will await you there...'**_

* * *

"Seto, where are we going?" Atem asked eagerly, spurring his horse to match his elder brother's pace, "You promised me an adventure!"

"That I did. Tell me, Atem, have you ever heard of the village of Kul Elna?" he replied, glancing back.

The young prince cocked his head to the side, wide eyes glimmering with curiosity.

"No, I have not. What is it?"

"I heard the older priests whispering about it a few days ago," Seto replied with a conspiratorial smirk, "They said it was a village abandoned years ago for reasons unknown. I thought that perhaps we should see it for ourselves. One last adventure together, before you go off and become king."

Atem laughed joyously.

"How intriguing! Yes, we must go see. But Seto, do not think that we will have no more adventures once I am king! You are my brother, after all. I want you by my side."

"I would not be so sure," Seto mumbled, hands tightening around the rough leather of the reigns.

Atem had apparently not heard his brother's comments, or at least gave no sign that he had, and instead continued smiling happily, sitting up further in his saddle to try and spy the empty city off on the horizon.

"There!" he cried, gesticulating wildly, "I see it!"

Seto looked up, shielding his eyes against the sun with one hand. The jagged edges of broken stone walls jutted up harshly against the soft lines of the desert sand. As they rode closer, Seto could see bones scattered across the streets. Atem frowned, his eagerness for adventure slipping away into nervousness.

"I thought you said this village was abandoned," he said slowly, unable to take his eyes away from the ruins.

"I thought it was..." Seto replied, trying to maintain his calm, "This looks as though the village was destroyed..."

As the horses drew near the outer edge of the village, they grew increasingly skittish, and finally refused to go any further, pacing along the line between sand and stone.

"Seto, the horses are uneasy," Atem said, voice quivering slightly, "Perhaps we should take this as a sign to head back to the palace."

"Are you scared, little brother?" Seto challenged, dismounting, "If you are to be king, you will face more dangers than an abandoned village. Come. We have no choice but to go the rest of the way on foot."

"I am _not_ scared," the younger protested, dismounting as well and trotting after his brother.

The two walked through the village with some caution, taking care to avoid stepping on any bones. The further into the village they walked, the colder it began to feel, despite the blazing sun. Atem began to look around nervously, sensing another presence lurking among the shadows. Seto, meanwhile, was trying to maintain his resolve. From the corners of his eyes, he could see shadows flit about in the dismantled doorways and windows. He knew Atem saw them too, and that the younger boy was thoroughly frightened.

_'One foot in front of the other. Keep moving forward. This is almost over.'_

On the outskirts of the village, as the mysterious voice had told him, was a hole in the sand, with a broad set of steps descending into the darkness. The rubble surrounding the gaping hole gave the impression of a great mouth, threatening to swallow them down beneath the ground, into the black depths.

_'This is it...'_ Seto thought.

Half turning to his brother, he said, "I am sure that down there we will discover the truth behind what happened here."

"I do not know, Seto," Atem managed to squeak, shuffling back slowly, "I sense something lurking down there. Something wicked. We should turn back."

"Nonsense," the older boy scoffed, knowing full well that Atem was right, "What could remain in this village that could harm us, two princes of Egypt? Should we back out now, we will look back and only remember cowardice. Do you want that, Atem?"

Atem remained silent, shifting back and forth, debating whether or not to follow his brother down.

"I will go, with or without you," his brother said, "Stay here if you wish."

As his brother's figure disappeared into the darkness, Atem tried to shake off the intense feeling of foreboding, summoned up what little courage remained in him, and hurried after.

The temple was even colder than the village had been, now that they were away from the sunlight. The cold nipped at their skin through their light tunics. The room itself was vast, larger than the throne room in the palace, disappearing into the darkness, seemingly unending. At the very edge of the darkness, almost out of sight, embedded in the stone floor, a great circular tablet lay. Seto quickened his pace, recognizing it as the tablet of which the voice had spoken.

_**'Welcome to my humble abode, little princes,'**_ the deep voice rumbled, echoing through the stone hall, **_'I must tell you, it is truly an honor to be in your presence...I cannot recall the last time I had visitors.' _**

Neither Seto nor Atem missed the slight twinge of humor in the dark voice.

"Who are you?!" Atem demanded, trying to sound brave despite his trembling knees.

The darkness chuckled lowly.

_**'The two of you truly are brothers, little one. Your precious older brother responded the same way when he first heard my voice.'**_

"What...?" Atem whispered, turning to Seto, eyes wide, "What does he mean? Seto, what is going on?"

Seto said nothing, but met Atem's frightened eyes with the coldest glare he could muster.

_**'Ah, but unlike your brother, you trust everyone, do you not, little one? You always assume the best of people. A weakness for one to inherit the throne...It will prove your undoing.'**_

Unbeknownst to Atem, the shadows were creeping closer to him. A dark tendril lashed out and wrapped around his ankle, pulling him down and dragging him towards the tablet.

"Ah!" he cried out, scrambling for purchase on the smooth stone floor, "What is happening?"

More tendrils sprang forth, securing his other limbs to the tablet's face.

"Let me go!" Atem struggled, tears of fear streaming down his face, "Help, me brother!"

_**'See now how I will help you, prince? I have made this all the easier. This is your chance,' **_the voice whispered, now in Seto's ear, **_'End him.'_**

The shadow's grip grew tighter around Atem's wrists and ankles, but still he struggled, reaching towards Seto.

"Please," he begged weakly, his voice quaking with fear, "Please, Seto...help me..."

With a coldness even he did not know he possessed, Seto drew a knife from within the folds of his tunic, advancing towards his helpless brother.

"_You do not deserve to be king_," he hissed, "I do. I have given everything I am to earn that position. Do you hear me? _EVERYTHING._ And what have you done? Nothing. You wasted your life away playing children's games. I will not let a fool like you take what is rightfully mine!"

Seto raised the blade above his head, looking Atem directly in the eyes. The poor boy was so scared that his whole body was frozen. Even his tears had stopped falling. Never had he seen such fear in a person's eyes. It was the fear of death.

"Please..." Atem gasped.

Seto's own twisted visage was reflected in his brother's wide eyes. For a moment, his hands froze around the blade. But the darkness was impatient.

_**'Now Seto. Do it NOW!'**_

Down it went, straight into Atem's beating heart. Blood gushed out from the wound, staining the front of the boy's white tunic like some sick imitation of a flower.

"No..."Atem barely gasped, "Gods no, I don't want to die..."

_**'Silence, little one, it is to late for you...'**_ the voice chuckled as the life drained from Atem's eyes.

"I...I did it. I killed him," Seto said slowly, looking from the red blade in his hands to the red blood spilling from his dead brother's chest.

**_'Yes, so you did. But take comfort, prince. You are not the first to have killed his brother for power, you know. It is simply the natural order of things. And you are not the first brother I have helped in this act, oh no. There have been many before you. And there will be many after.'_**

"Enough of your prattle. I have done as you said," Seto snapped, tossing the knife away, "Now uphold your end of our deal."

_**'All in good time, my prince, all in good time. First, the body.'**_

"What of it?"

_**'I must dispose of it...properly. For you see, Seto, part of my price is a human soul, which you have so graciously provided me. And your little brother's soul was an especially strong one. A rare kind, if you like. Quite unlike any I have ever seen.'**_

"Was that the purpose of this?" Seto demanded, outraged that he had been used, "You did not want to help me at all, you only wanted Atem's soul!"

_**'Perhaps it was, perhaps it was** **not,'**_ the voice replied flippantly, _**'What does it matter? You have what you wanted. The fact that I gain something from all this should be of no consequence to you. Now, be quiet, and observe.'**_

The tendrils securing Atem to the tablet grew larger, covering the body completely. Seto could feel a great pulse of energy emanating from within the tablet. When the shadows withdrew, Atem was gone, and in his place, a strange item remained.

It looked to be a pyramid entirely made of gold, constructed of intricately connected pieces. On one face, the Eye of Wadjet glimmered wickedly. A brown leather cord hooked to the bottom of the pyramid gave it the appearance of a pendant.

_**'Take this, my gift to you. What was once your brother's soul and body now reside within this Puzzle, fueling my magic. So long as you carry it, you may use my power to gain all that you desire. All my resources are at your beck and call. But be warned, the power is not yours alone. Anyone may steal the Puzzle and use its power against you. Now go, and claim what is rightfully yours.'**_

Seto lifted the Puzzle by its cord, looking into its Eye. He could feel the power of this dark presence pulsing through his veins. A twisted grin crept its way into Seto's features, followed by the beginnings of cruel laughter. Unable to contain his feeling of victory, Seto tipped his head back and let loose a wicked peal of laughter, echoing throughout the empty hall.

"Excellent..." he purred, clutching the Puzzle ever tighter.

With one last chuckle, he turned to leave Kul Elna, preparing to tell everyone the news that poor Atem was dead.

* * *

_'How long have I been here, floating in the darkness? Forever, it seems. Not that it matters, I suppose...I have no memory of who I am...but how much longer will this darkness last? Forever more? Why am I even here?'_

_**'Do you truly not remember, little one?'**_

_'Who...Who is there?'_

_**'Nothing changes with you, does it? So much the better. You will need your former strength and wit once you awaken.'**_

_'You know who I am?'_

_**'Indeed I do, little one. I have been with you all this time, as you slept.'**_

_'How is it then that we have not spoken in all this time?'_

_**'Time is irrelevant here. A single second may feel like eons. Still, you have been sleeping for many mortal years. I have kept intruders out, to ensure your sleep goes uninterrupted. You should thank me for that. By letting you sleep, I have saved you from going quite mad.'**_

_'Stop with your vague statements and speak to me plainly!'_

_**'Temper, little one, temper...See now, I will help you remember. You were killed, were you not? You were still but a child then.'**_

_'I...yes...yes I was...murdered...but by whom...?'_

_**'By someone you trusted above all others. Someone very dear to you. But sadly, you were not very dear to that someone.'**_

_'...Seto. That name...seems familiar.'_

_**'Very good, little one. That is the name of your killer. You were to inherit the throne, and he murdered you for it, sealing you in here. Then he used your very soul to work magic over the people, through this Puzzle. ...Tell me, little one, does knowing this make you desire revenge?'**_

_'...It does...I...I want Seto dead...for having betrayed me...'_

_**'As I thought. Then I will give you your revenge. A second chance, if you will. Your killer has been reborn into the mortal world. Unfortunately, he destroyed your memory and erased your name during his reign, meaning I cannot give you a body of your own. But I can present you with a vessel for you to do with as you will.'**_

_'Very well. But will you not restore my memories?'_

_**'Alas, little one, I cannot. To do so would drive you mad with rage, I assure you. You would be unable to enact your plans with the cunning you once had. For now, sleep. You will wake again when your vessel finds you.'**_

* * *

_'The person who solves this puzzle will have their wish granted, huh?' _Yugi mused thoughtfully, trying to fit one of the strange gold puzzle pieces to another, _'I wonder if I could just wish Ushio away. Nah, I've been working on this thing for eight years. I'm not going to make any progress now...'_

Time ticked away, later and later into the night, and still he fiddled with the pieces.

_'Geez, what am I doing? I need to find a way to get that money for Ushio, not mess with this stupid puzzle...'_

_**Click**_

"Huh?" Yugi looked down at the puzzle in his hands. The few pieces he had been meddling with had snapped neatly into place.

The boy took another piece from the box, slipping it into the gap where he thought it should fit.

_**Click**_

"What...?" Yugi mumbled, "I'm actually doing it? Funny, it seems so easy now..."

With hands that did not seem to be entirely his own, Yugi assembled the puzzle. With one piece left, Yugi sat back, looking at the chunk of gold that had taken shape between his fingers.

"I'm really going to finish this," he breathed, "I'm really going to finish this!"

He fumbled around in the now empty box, searching for the final piece, only to feel the smooth gold bottom. The final piece was missing.

"What? No! It can't be! Oh, I'm so close..." the boy wracked his brains, trying to remember where he could have dropped the piece.

_'It must be at school! It's the only place!' _he thought, grabbing his backpack and shoving the puzzle inside before dashing out the front door.

* * *

_'Yes, little one, hurry! Find the missing piece, so I may escape this blackness! Faster, run faster! _

_...Who is this? Is he that Ushio you are so afraid of...? And those boys lying on the ground...friends, you call them? Yet your memories say they were cruel. What...that one had the missing piece! He stole it from you! You realize this means he must be punished, right?_

_...What? You wish for friends? From these fools? Be careful what you wish for, little one...'Friends who will never betray me, and friends whom I will never betray'? Yet I sense something deeper...'I don't want to die. Please God, don't let me die'_

_...Very well, little one, in exchange for using your body as the vessel for my revenge, I will grant your wish and protect you and your so called friends. Consider it rent. Now, simply place the final piece into the Puzzle...yes...'_

The night air was cold, and a light breeze nipped at his pale skin despite the jacket he wore. He raised a hand up to his face and flexed the fingers experimentally, observing his new vessel.

"Not very strong, are we, little one?" he chuckled darkly, "No matter...I am not in the mood for a fight. No...I think it is time to play a little game..."

* * *

**_...but Isis retrieved the pieces of Osiris, repairing and embalming the body, allowing Osiris to live again, now as arbiter of Ma'at - truth and justice._**


End file.
